Payagunda writes Chaturangavinoda (The Game of Chess).

Peter the Great cancels a ban on Chess.

Slaugter’s Coffee House was center of London until 1770.

Legall; M. de Kermar, Sire de Legall, born. Philidor’s teacher.

02/18 Hyde, Thomas died in Oxford, England. Oriental scholar. Established Indian origin of Chess.

Liebniz takes interest in Chess.

Stamma; Phillip Stamma born. Chess player from Aleppo. Interpreter of oriental languages.

Caze; M. Caze writes an unpublished manuscript on the King’s gambit.

Franklin; Benjamin Franklin born. Wrote ‘Morals of Chess’.

Cunningham, Alexander originates the Bertin gambit, published by Bertin in 1735.

Charles XII, King of Sweden, plays Chess.

Prohibited; Chess is prohibited in Frankfort for 14 years after the great fire.

Club; the first Chess club in England at Slaughter’s in London.

Cozio, Carlo born in Italy. Count of Montiglio and Chess author.

Charles XII died. King of Sweden who played Chess.

Grotto beat English Admiral Byng in Naples.

Rio; Domenico del Rio, the anonymous modenese, born.

Del Rio, Ercole born in Guiglia, Italy. Author.

Feret, in a paper to the French Academy, supports Indian origin of Chess.

11/09 Ponziani; Domenico Ponziani born in Modena, Italy. Professor of Civil Law, Canon of the Cathedral, Vicar.

Three-handed Chess and board invented by Marinelli in Naples.

Grotto; D. Scipone del Grotto died. Leading player of Naples. Priest from Salerno.

Sicilian Defense played in Naples by Severino.

09/07 Philidor born at Dreux near Paris. 18th century master (GM). Wrote 23 operas.

Beumont; Charles Chevalier d’Eon de Beumont born. French diplomat and Chess player.

Eon de Beaumont, Charles born. (d’eon) Transvestite.

/12 Cunningham, Alexander died at the Hague. Classical scholar.

Rousseau becomes interested in Chess. Writes about it in his confessions.

09/15 Short essay on the ‘Game of Chess’ appears in the Craftsman.

Kempelen; Wolfgang von Kempelen, inventor of the first automaton, born.

Bertin; ‘The Noble Game of Chess’ by Bertin is the first worthwhile English book.

Philidor learns how to play Chess.

12/19 Bruhl, John (Hans) born in Wiederau, Germany. Gave support to Philidor. Minister of Saxony.

Bertin, Joseph died. Author of ‘The Noble Game of Chess’.

Cunningham, Alexander died in London; Diplomat and historian. Cunningham gambit.

Stamma publishes a Chess book in Paris. The first book using standard notation. Essai. (Murray, 847)

Philidor writes opera, performed at Versailles.

Legall teaches Chess to Philidor. Legall starts with Rook odds.

Philidor leaves choir of Chapel Royal.

Stamma's book published in French at The Hague.

Rousseau meets Legall and Philidor at the Cafe Maugis.

Board; Chess played on a board 14 by 10 in London. Invented by the Duke of Rutland.

Philidor and Legall playing on even level.

Philidor plays two opponents blindfold in Paris at age 18.

Atwood, George born in England. Played many games with Philidor. Distinguished mathematician.

Hoyle; the first edition of Hoyles games published, with a Chess section.

Stamma publishes ‘The Noble Game of Chess’ in algebraic notation. Published in London.

/12 Philidor earns a living by teaching and playing Chess at The Hague.

Jones; Sir William Jones born. Translated the first Sanskrit reference to Chess.

02/15 Heinse, Wilhelm born in Ilmenau, Germany. Wrote about Anastasia’s mate.

Philidor defeats Stamma in a match at Slaughter’s in London. Ten games.

Philidor visits England under the auspices of Sir Janssen, strongest English player.

Twiss, Richard born. Chess author.

Philidor introduces the modern rule of numbering each move and its reply with the same number.

Philidor writes L‘Analyse Du Jeu Des Eschecs’. Lord Sandwich orders ten copies.

Stein, Elias born. Chess tutor of Dutch royalty.

Voltaire and Emperor Frederick II of Prussia play Chess.

Philidor publishes ‘Analyze Des Eschecs’ in London, most important Chess book to date.

Arabic manuscript (Z).

Del Rio publishes a Chess book. The first on the Scotch opening.

Greco; ‘Chess Made Easy’, an English edition of Greco’s work, published.

‘Legall's Mate’ introduced by Legall against Saint Brie.

Philidor; English edition of Philidor’s book published. Called ‘Chess Analyzed’.

Philidor gives Chess exhibitions for Frederick the Great.

Philidor plays three games blindfold in Berlin, winning all three.

King leap ended in Spain and Portugal.

Philidor plays three blindfold games simultaneously in Berlin.

Chess manuscript presented to Gottingen University by F. Borner.

Battilor, Stefano died.

/09 Philidor returns to France after an absence of nine years.

Article on Chess in Diderot’s Encyclopedie.

Philidor defeats Legall in France at the Cafe de la Regence.

Stamma died.

Rousseau plays Prince de Conti, winning two games.

Hoyle publishes essay on Chess (Murray 850).

Franklin plays Bartram (game - CR 1/62, 18)

Caissa, the muse or goddess of Chess, created by Sir William Jones.

Fianchetto; modern usage of ‘fianchetto’, first described by Lolli.

Jones; Sir William Jones writes the poem Caissa.

Lolli publishes a 632 page compendium of Chess.

06/19 Allgaier, Johann born in Schussenried, Germany. Tutored the Emperor’s sons.

Lambe; ‘History Of Chess’ by Lambe published in London.

Alexandre, Aaron born in Hohenfeld, Bavaria.

Cozio; 4-part, 2-volume ‘Il Giuoco Degli Scacchi’ by Cozio completed.

Hyde’s Latin work on the history of Chess reprinted as second volume.

Automaton, first was the Turk.

Hoyle dies.

Lolli died.

Ponziani publishes a practical Chess guide to Chess.

Von Kempelen’s ‘The Turk’ is the first great cabinet illusion.

Cochrane, James born in England. Wrote a book on the Muzio gambit in 1829.

Pratt, Peter born. Chess author.

Turk first exhibited in Vienna at the court of Maria Theresa at Vienna.

Club formed at the Salopian Coffee House in England.

Philidor plays Chess at the Salopian Coffee-house.

Theatre; Chess is used in the theater in ‘Le Bourru Bienfaissant’.

Coxe sees 4-handed Chess in Russia. The first reference to 4-handed Chess.

Jones, Sir William publishes his poems (Oxford), including Caissa.

Maelzel, John Nepomucene born in Ratisbon, Bavaria. Turk owner.

Parsloe’s, a Chess club in London, founded. Closed in 1825.

Philidor returns to London.

Sarratt; Jacob Sarratt born. The first professional to teach Chess in England.

Play; Chess used in Goethe’s first play.

Book; oldest Danish Chess book (Murray, 854).

Parsloe’s Chess Club founded in England. Limited to 100 members. (Murray 863).

Catherine; Prince Potemkin and Catherine the Great play Chess.

‘Traites Des Amateurs’ published by Bernard, Carlier, Leger, Verdoni.

/02 Philidor gives Chess lessons at Parsole’s for one crown.

12/26 Rall; British General Rall died in Battle of Trenton. Was playing Chess.

Gauss born. Chess player. Solved the eight Queen’s problem.

Philidor; the second edition of Philidor’s book, ‘Analyze’, in French and English.

/06 d’Eon de Beaumont subscribes to Philidor’s new book edition.

Roget; Peter Roget born. Devised the first pocket set. Wrote his ‘Thesaurus’.

Rutland; Duke of Rutland’s Chess invented using a 14 x 10 board.

Cotter of England first plays the Allgaier gambit of the KGA.

Cozio, Carlo died in Italy. Author.

03/07 Deschapelles, Alexandre born in Ville d’Avray, France. Lost his right arm in a war.

Record; the first recording of games systematically, by Atwood.

Vezin, Charles born in Hanover. Philadelphia’s best Chess player.

Ponziani writes ‘Il Guico Incomparabile Degli Scacci, Modena’.

03/07 Butrimov, Ivan born in St Petersburg. Published first Russian Chess book in 1821.

Philidor plays Count Bruhl and Bowdler blindfold, simultaneously.

Club; Paris starts Chess club under patronage of Louis XVIII.

Franklin plays the Turk in Paris.

Turk; the second performance of the Turk, in Vienna for Emperor Joseph II.

05/08 Philidor plays 3 games simultaneously, blindfolded. Age 57. (won 2, drew 1).

Book; oldest Swedish book, ‘Kort Afhandling’, is published by Konigstedt.

O-O; Moses Hirschel introduces the 0-0 and 0-0-0 symbols. (Murray, 848).

Kempelen brings The Turk to Britain.

Thicknesse; ‘The automaton Chessplayer, exposed’ by Thicknesse, published in London.

Frederick the Great plays the Turk.

/12 Franklin publishes his ‘Morals of Chess’ in Columbian magazine.

Barrington write ‘An Historical Disquisition on the Game of Chess’.

Mouret; Jacques Mouret born. Turk operator. Nephew of Philidor.

Twiss writes book called Chess (volume 1) anonymously.

10/09 Lewis; William Lewis, English player, born in Birmingham. Operated the Turk.

Philidor playing at 62 giving Knight odds.

Racknitz builds a duplicate Turk. Publishes book exposing the Turk.

Stein publishes opening book; analyzes the Dutch defense.

Twiss writes Chess (vol 2).

Jones; Sir William Jones writes ‘On the Indian Game of Chess’.

Philidor; the third edition of Philidor’s book published.

Philidor plays at age 64 blindfold, simultaneously at Pawn odds.

Rook; the first known double Rook sacrifice made by Bowdler against Conway, London.

01/27 Evans, William, inventor of the Evans gambit, born in Pembroke, Wales.

Book, Russia; the first Chess book published in Russia.

Legall died. Philidor’s teacher.

Irwin writes ‘Account of the Chinese Game of Chess’.

Douce writes ‘European Names of Chessmen in Archaeologia’, London.

Jones; Sir William Jones died. Sanskrit translator.

02/12 Alexander Petroff born in Viserovo, Russia. The first strong Russian player.

02/23 Philidor plays several games blindfold, simultaneously at age 68.

Allgaier; the first German Chess manual, published by Allgaier, in Vienna.

Burma; the first account of Burmese Chess in Syme’s ‘Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava’.

Turkish Chess manuscript with 128 Chess problems; now in Berlin.

06/20 Philidor’s last blindfold performance.

07/27 Bledow, Ludwig, founder of the Pleiades, born in Berlin.

08/05 Philidor; last known game of Philidor. Still winning at age 69 with Pawn odds.

08/31 Philidor died in London. Age 69.

Atwood plays Chess against Verdoni.

Muhammad-khan, Shir wrote ‘Sardarnama’.

Newham; Samuel Newham, England’s leading provincial player, born.

07/15 Ponziani died.

Bourdonnais, Louis Charles de la, born in Reunion Island.

Morosi makes an automaton for Ferdinand III, Duke of Tuscany.

Automaton is a center in a play.

De Labourdonnais, Louis born in La Reunion.

01/21 Calvi, Iganzio born in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Italian player and composer.

Morosi makes an automaton and displays it in Paris.

Preti; Jean-Loius Preti born, Chess writer. Started ‘La Strategie’.

02/04 Cochrane, John, born in England. Scottish player. Founder of the romantic style.

04/28 Forbes, Duncan born in Kinnaird, Scotland. Scottish writer on Chess history.

05/21 McDonnell, Alexander born in Belfast. Best player in England around 1830.

Cox publishes book on Burma Game of Chess.

Durand, Philippe born in Fresnay-la-Mere. Wrote the first book devoted to the practical endgame.

11/25 Agnel, Hyacinth born in NY City. Author.